Elos Hair Reduction – Fact Sheet

Excess hair is an extremely common condition affecting men and women of all ages. Unsightly or unwanted hair on any part of our body makes us feel less than attractive. The Elos hair reduction treatment is an effective solution.

For some the amount of hair increases with age because of changes in our hormone levels, such as with the onset of menopause. Increased facial hair is also occasionally experienced with testosterone and DHEA supplementation, when levels are too high.

For others it is a genetic condition that interferes with their enjoyment of life. Hirsutism refers to the growth of coarse, dark hair in areas where women typically grow fine hair or no hair at all: above the lip and on the chin, chest, abdomen, and back. This excess hair growth is caused by an increased level of male hormones (androgens), secreted by the ovaries or adrenals, and produced in the hair follicle.

Women with excess hair growth should be evaluated by a doctor especially if the hair develops or worsens rapidly, or if her relatives have comparatively less hair growth. The condition often runs in families. In the vast majority of cases, hirsutism is not caused by a serious medical condition; however, it should be investigated, and underlying conditions treated.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to remove or reduce the amount of hair you have Shine Clinic in Brisbane can help with our Elos hair reduction treatment. Dr Kathy Gallagher will work with you to identify the best treatment that suits your needs.

Elos Hair Reduction

What is it?

Many of the previous options for people seeking to remove or lessen the amount of hair have been painful or have only resulted in short-term effects. Light therapies to remove hair (photoepilation) have long been in use, but have been limited in scope, being less effective on lighter hair (blond, grey, red), as well as on darker skin. New innovations in light therapy, and its combination with other technologies have led to procedures that have become very popular in cosmetic dermatology.

The Elos hair reduction treatment that is employed at Shine Clinic in Brisbane uses combined radio frequency (RF) and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) energy to target and destroy hair follicles below the skin level. It can remove a variety of hair types, being most effective on lighter skin with darker hair, and having limited effects on darker skin with lighter hair. The results of hair removal with this technology are much longer lasting. Achieving beautiful, silky smooth skin is now easier than ever. Elos hair reduction technology combines the best of both types of energy for a hair reduction treatment that is both painless and fast.

How does it work?

There is little in the way of preparation required for Elos hair reduction treatment, and it is quite gentle. The area will need to be shaved prior to the treament. The patented Elos hand machine combines both IPL and radiofrequency technologies to quickly and safely remove hair in any area. Treatments can include hair removal on the face, underarms and legs as well as the bikini line. Because this method precisely targets hair at the root destroying the follicle it is more effective and removes hair on a more permanent basis. However, it only works on hair that is in the growing phase (as with other light treatments), and is not effective if the hair has already been shed from the follicle. These fallen hairs will be addressed when in their growing phase at the next treatment

The practitioner will simply pass the hand piece over the area where the hair is to be removed. Hair growth is reduced after each treatment. The number of sessions needed for optimal results will depend on hair colour and type, body area and skin tone. A more successful outcome with lighter coloured hair may require more treatments as compared to darker coloured hair. There is minimal discomfort at the time of removal and no after effects. You just have your treatment and go about your day as usual.

One limitation of light therapy for long-term removal of unwanted hair is it’s limited capability for dark skin. This is because light energy has to penetrate through the epidermis before being absorbed by the hair follicle. In people with dark skin, the high melanin concentration in the epidermis absorbs high energies. This can lead to complications. The Elos hair reduction system’s combination of IPL with RF delivers a lower level of light energy, allowing RF to facilitate better penetration of the epidermis. This lower amount of optical energy permits safer treatment of slightly darker skin types.

What about side effects?

The Elos hair reduction treatment is most effective on lighter skin, but testing should be done first to gauge the intensity required to obtain the best results. At Shine Clinic, we require a consultation and patch test at least 24 hours prior to your first treatment. This is to ensure complete safety and also to assess optimal treatment parameters. As with all light based therapies, there are some contraindications to the treatment. Certain photosensitising medications and medical conditions will prevent us performing a treatment. It is also essential there has been no recent sun exposure in the treatment area as this can lead to increased heating of the skin and the possibility of a burn. It is essential to be in the hands of an experienced technician.

RF energy can have a skin rejuvenation effect as it produces skin tightening. The IPL acts as a ‘path creator’ for the RF energy, allowing it to effectively reach the tissues it is directed at and deliver its heating effects. When the water molecules in the dermis (underlying layer of the skin) are heated collagen production is stimulated resulting in tighter, younger looking skin.

Many choose to use the Elos hair reduction treatment in conjunction with other skin tightening treatments in nearby areas, or skin rejuvenation treatments as a complement to hair removal in the same or adjacent areas. For further information click on Skin Rejuvenation, and IPL Skin Rejuvenation to link to other fact sheets, or Skin Tightening to link to that treatment page.

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About Shine Clinic

Shine Clinic is a unique and personal cosmetic and anti-ageing skin clinic in Brisbane dedicated to delivering life enhancing results. Our goal is to restore and renew the appearance externally and the body internally. This is achieved using only scientifically-based medical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments including:
Cosmetic Injectables, Dermal Fillers and Hormone Treatments.